Harrison Wells' Human Shield

Things You Can't Outrun [2]

"Welcome to CCPD," Barry told Caitlin and Clara.

Clara had to plead with her father to let her go with Barry and Caitlin. She felt like a hermit as she hadn't truly been able to go out into the world unless it was to drive her father, and even for food, the duo mostly did delivery.

"So this is your day job," Clara marveled, she jumped closer to Barry as she almost ran into an officer leading a criminal away.

"I'm gonna rip out your hearts and eat 'em for lunch," The criminal told anybody who would listen.

Caitlin glanced at Clara.

"Don't tell me you're gonna be a helicopter parent, too," Clara huffed.

"Lab rat," a female officer walked up to Barry. "I need prints off this gun pronto,"

"Allen!" A male detective shouted across the room, "Where the hell is the fiber analysis on the Orloff case?"

"Upstairs. It's all finished," Barry replied. "I can just run up and bring it down,"

"With you, that could be three days from now. I'll go with you." the male detective looked at Clara and Caitlin. "Who are you?"

"Dr. Caitlin Snow, Barry's physician,"

"Clara Wells, Barry's friend,"

Barry was waiting at the door to his forensic lab when the trio walked up the stairs. "The fiber analysis for the Orloff case, like you asked for, sir,"

The male detective looked around at the mess. "Clean up your lab, it's a mess,"

***

"Can I ask you something you don't have to answer?" Barry asked as Clara played around with one of his molecule structures.

"Shoot," Clara replied.

Barry glanced over at Caitlin as she worked on his computer. "Ronnie. What was he like?"

Clara nearly dropped the molecule.

"Caitlin just never talks about him that much,"

Clara bit her tongue in thought.

"We met while working on the particle accelerator," Caitlin said. "He was the structural engineer. He liked to joke that he was a very high-priced plumber. We were very different. You might have noticed I can be a bit..."

"Cold," Clara said.

"Guarded," Caitlin corrected. "Ronnie knew how to make me laugh,"

"They were like fire and ice," Clara smiled softly.

"He wasn't supposed to be there that night," Caitlin admitted. "He was just there for me and..."

"To celebrate my birthday," Clara added, looking at the ground, her body flickering between visible and invisible.

Caitlin moved over and squeezed Clara's shoulder in assurance.

Clara was grateful when the printer whirred.

Caitlin looked the paper over. "This says that there was no residue of gas in the tissue, poisonous or otherwise,"

"It must have evaporated," Barry reasoned. "We'll need to get a fresh sample,"

Caitlin frowned. "Wait, this can't be right. This says that there are two distinct strands of DNA inside the tissue,"

"How did someone else's DNA get inside the victim's lungs?" Barry moved to the computer to check the database. "There's no DNA match in the database,"

"I don't understand. Why would a chemical attack leave behind another person's DNA inside the victim?"

"What if the meta-human we're looking for doesn't control gas?" Clara suggested, "What if he becomes it?"

"All available units, we have a report of a toxic gas attack in the Central City shopping mall," A police radio reported.

"Barry, don't," Caitlin warned. "We don't know enough about what we're facing yet,"

Clara placed a forcefield to stop Barry from leaving.

"Clara, I have to go," Barry said.

Clara faltered as she saw Ronnie looking at her, and her forcefield dissipated, allowing Barry to run off.